Promise me
by TurtleHugs
Summary: Rin lives in a foster home with five, soon to be six, other kids. She hangs out with Inuyasha and his gang, so what happens when Sesshomaru takes an interest in her?


**Disclaimer:** I wish I owned it, because then I'd be loaded. But unfortunately, it's not mine.

**Promise Me**

**Summary:**_Rin lives in a foster home with five, soon to be six, other kids. She hangs out with Inuyasha and his gang, so what happens when Sesshomaru takes an interest in her?_

Rin reached out and rang the Taisho's doorbell. They were having their annual get together. The whole gang hung out almost every other day, always at Inuyasha's house.

The door was swung open rather abruptly, to reveal a short, balding man. His skin held a slight greenish tint to it. Rin smiled.

"Miss Rin," the man stepped back and opened the door wider. "Master Inuyasha and the others are in his room. Shall I escort you?"

"No thanks, Jakken." She stepped through the doorway and into the magnificently decorated threshold. Come to think of it, Rin thought, their whole house was beautiful. No, it wasn't a house, it was a mansion. It had to be; 146 guest rooms Inuyasha had told her once, laughing at the look of astonishment adorning her face.

She soon found herself in front of his bedroom door and carefully swung it open, not bothering to knock.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late. Hana didn't want me to leave," she said, plopping down onto the floor next to Sango.

"Awww! Little Hana-chan is so adorable!" Sango exclaimed, recalling the time Rin had brought her 5-year-old foster sister over to play with Inuyasha's cousin, Shippo.

"I know, and I had to promise to take her to the park tomorrow before she-" Rin was cut off by Sango's scream of "pervert!" and a loud slapping sound. Kagome giggled and Inuyasha laughed loudly.

"C'mon guys, lets go downstairs to the living room; food's closer." Inuyasha could have easily ordered any servant to bring them whatever they wanted, but his friends weren't too keen on making someone else get them something they could easily get themselves.

Everyone agreed and moved downstairs, everyone taking their usual places. Kagome and Inuyasha took a couch, Miroku and Sango the other and Rin on the floor, leaning against the edge of Sango and Miroku's couch.

The talked and laughed for the rest of that night. Rin bit into her cookie and grimaced when Miroku suggested playing truth or dare, just as Inuyasha's older half-brother, Sesshomaru, strode through the room.

"Oi, Sesshomaru! Get your ass back here!" Inuyasha called.

"Yes, little brother? Is there something you need?" Sesshomaru spoke coldly, as he always did when anything regarded his younger half brother.

"You're gonna play truth or dare with us!" Inuyasha declared.

"So kind of you to ask, Inuyasha," but none the less, Sesshomaru lowered himself to a sitting position next to Rin as everybody else formed a circle.

"'Kay, Kagome you go first." Miroku instructed.

"Okay. Sango, truth or dare?"

"Truth."

"How far have you gone?" Sango blushed.

"Ermm… just kissing, nothing more. Inuyasha?"

"Dare," the game went on like this until it was Miroku's third turn. The boy grinned lecherously.

"Rin, truth or dare?" Rin gulped.

"Truth," his grin widened.

"How many people have you kissed and who?" Rin's face turned red with embarrassment.

"One…Little Hana-chan." Kagome, the kissing addict, gasped. "What?" Rin said defensively. "There hasn't been anyone I want to kiss…."

"Not even your own mother?" Inuyasha asked smartly.

"No… she died giving birth." Rin said nonchalantly, as if it didn't matter. Sesshomaru knew otherwise, as he felt the waves of sadness rolling off her.

"And your father?" Kagome asked.

"Didn't want kids." Kagome's hand fluttered to her mouth, eyes filled with tears as Sango lunged forward and crushed Rin in fierce hug.

They had all known Rin lived in a foster home but never had anyone asked what happened to her parents, because the thought had never struck them as very important.

"Sango…" Rin gasped. "I can't BREATHE!"

"Sorry," Sango smiled sheepishly and released her.

A thick tenseness spread over the room and for a while nobody spoke.

"I better get heading home..." Rin said softly, muttering something about staying out too long and making Keade, her foster mother, worry.

Once home, Rin opened the door to the room she shared with Hana. Keade had wanted Rin to have her privacy after she turned a certain age, but when little Hana came there was no where else to put her but with Rin. And of course Rin didn't object to sharing a room with such an adorable little girl.

Rin padded quietly to the dresser she shared with Hana without turning on the light, in an attempt not to wake the sleeping child. When the dresser drawer opened with a loud squeak she paused to make sure it hadn't woken the young child from her slumber. When she was sure Hana was still asleep she proceeded to dig through her drawer, randomly pulling out a pair of sweats and a t-shirt.

She changed quickly and slipped into her own bed, briefly wondering where her father was and what he was doing. She chided herself quickly for the foolish thought and drifted off to sleep.

"Rin! Rin, wake up silly!" A young child pounced on Rin's sleeping form, giggling madly. Rin's eyes opened slowly and she stared at the small child currently sitting on her stomach. The younger girl stared back, wondering what her Nii-san would do. 

Suddenly, Rin attacked the child, tickling her unmercifully. Hana burst into laughter, shouting, "I give, I give!"

"Rin, could you get the kids ready please!?" Keade yelled from the kitchen, interrupting the girls.

"Okay!" Rin yelled back, getting up from the bed and rummaging through Hana's half of their dresser. "Here," she set a long-sleeve shirt, as it was starting to get chilly out, and a pair of jeans on Hana's bed.

She got herself dressed and then helped Hana tie her shoes.

"You go brush your teeth so I can help the others."

"Okay Rin-nii-san!" Rin entered the room across the hall from theirs and made sure the twins, Hisa and Takara (12), were awake and dressed. She moved onto the boys' room a bit farther down the hall and gently shook Mieko (15) awake and smiled at Kiyoshi (13), telling him to hurry and brush his teeth so he could go eat breakfast.

She made her way to the kitchen where Hisa, Takara, and Hana were seated at the table, the twins already eating their cereal.

"Hana, would you like a pop-tart?" Hana was the youngest of all the children placed under Keade's care, and had become attached to Rin, refusing to eat breakfast until it was offered to her by Rin herself.

Rin opened a package of pop-tarts and handed one to Hana straight out of the package, knowing the child liked hers cold, just as Rin did.

By the time the girls had eaten the boys came downstairs, Mieko pouring himself a huge bowl of cereal, and Kiyoshi eating a pop-tart.

"Rin," Hana tugged on the older girl's sleeve. "Rin, will you walk me to school today?" Rin smiled.

"Of course, Hana-chan! But first we have to brush your hair"

"'Kay!" The little girl ran to the bathroom and came back quickly with a hairbrush. Rin took it from her and ran it swiftly through her hair.

"You always complain when I do." Hisa grumbled.

"That's 'cuz you always make it hurt. And Rin-chan knows how to make it so it doesn't hurt." Rin parted the girl's hair down the middle and grabbed her backpack.

"Come on Hana, we don't want to be late." Hana smiled and put her own backpack over both shoulders. "By Keade, see you later! Bye everyone." Hana didn't say goodbye to anyone, only slipped her hand into Rin's as they went out the front door. They were halfway there before the young child spoke.

"Rin-chan?"

"Yes, Hana?"

"How come the sky is blue?"

"Why, I don't know Hana. Maybe you should ask Mrs. Tsubai." Rin said, referring to Hana's kindergarten teacher.

"Okay!" The girl smiled and stuck her thumb into her mouth.

Hana chattered the rest of the way, talking about birds, flowers, kids at school, and anything else she could think of. Rin interrupted the girl's rambling.

"Okay, we're here Hana! Go find your friends." They had reached the schoolyard, and Rin let go of Hana's hand.

"You're taking me to the park after school, right?" Hana looked up at her with wide puppy eyes. Rin laughed.

"Yes, of course Hana. Wait for me on the playground."

"Okay!" The little girl bounded off, quickly finding her friends as Rin walked the rest of the way to her own school.

**Fifth Period**

Rin quickly found her AP Calculus class, and there were already three people there. Rin's eyes widened. Sesshomaru was in this class? Why hadn't he told her? She dropped into the nearest seat but looked up as a shadow fell over her.

"Hello, I'm Kouga. And what might your name be?" The man flashed her a smile.

"Rin…."

"Ah, a beautiful name for a beautiful lady!" He took her hand and raised it to his lips. "Would you be kind enough to grace me with your presence on a date tonight?"

"Actually, no; I have plans." She withdrew her hand from his grasp and placed it in her lap.

"Oh, you already have a date?"

"No," she said shortly. A tall, bald man entered the room just as the bell rang.

"Mr. Ookami! Please take a seat!" He said in a rather high-pitched, squeaky voice.

"Yes sir," Kouga quickly found the only empty seat, which was, unfortunately, right behind Rin.

"Now, Miss Riari, you already have your book, we're on Chapter 4. You may catch up while the rest of the class completes their test."

"Sir," she said as he turned towards his desk, "I've already completed Chapter 4." The teacher raised an eyebrow.

"Oh? Well in that case you wouldn't mind taking the test, now would you?" He asked, clearly thinking she was lying.

"No sir, I wouldn't." He merely nodded and began passing out the tests.

"You may begin." He said when everyone had received an exam.

Rin finished all three pages, front and back, within the first fifteen minutes. As she glanced around she noticed she was the only one done. She could see Sesshomaru, hunched over his paper, still on the first page.

When everyone had finished they passed them to the person behind them and corrected them as the sensei called out the answers. After that, he took the scores out loud.

"Kagura?"

"Thirty-six out of 40, sir," He continued down the list.

"Ookami?"

"Thirty-eight."

"Sesshomaru Taisho?"

"Thirty-seven, sensei." He continued on down the list until he came to Rin's name.

"Rin Riari?" He glanced up, looking at her with an expectant grin.

"Forty, sir." The man gaped.

"Preposterous!" He roared and marched to her desk, snatching the test and studying it. "You cheated!" he accused, pointing a finger at her.

"Please sir, I covered this last year—" He cut her off.

"No sophomore would understand this!" He bellowed.

"Perhaps sir," a smooth voice cut in, "she is smarter than most?" Rin gasped. Sesshomaru was standing up for her! "Have you forgotten my father could fire you with a simple blink of an eye? Miss Riari here is a family friend, and I don't think my father would be very pleased at all if she were to receive an unfair grade." The sensei had paled.

"Oh, of course! I'm sure she's just… unusually smart!" Throughout the rest of class the teacher shot her glares when he thought Sesshomaru wasn't looking.

**LUNCH**

Rin sat in between Sango and Inuyasha, who had Kagome in his lap.

"Can you guys believe it? My new math teacher accused me of cheating on the test today!" She exclaimed.

"Well did you?" Inuyasha asked stupidly, to which Kagome whacked him on the arm.

"Of course not! I did it all in ink! Nothing was crossed off or anything!"

"Did he give you a zero?" Kagome asked before taking a bite of her sandwich.

"No, Sesshomaru stood up for me and said something about my being a family friend and how his father could fire him with the blink of an eye."

"Well that was nice." Sango smiled. Sesshomaru then showed up and sat between Inuyasha and Miroku, the only available seat in their circle. No one protested against his intrusion, and they continued eating.

"Sango, Rin, you girls wanna go to the mall tonight?" Kagome took a swig of Inuyasha's soda.

"Sure," Sango agreed.

"Sorry, I can't. I promised Hana-chan I'd take her to the park."

"Oh come on, Rin! Get one of the others to do it!"

"Can't, Mieko has a date, Kiyoshi has a soccer game, Takara has something for Student Council, and Hisa has basketball practice. Oh, and we ran out of pop-tarts this morning so Keade has to go get more, because Hana refuses to eat anything else for breakfast." Rin explained.

"How do you remember all this?" Miroku spoke, his hand moving towards Sango's backside.

"Don't even think about it," she growled. He quickly withdrew his hand.

"It's not that hard. And I won't be coming tomorrow either. Sorry guys."

"Why not?" Kagome pouted.

"Conferences."

"They're only an hour long." Inuyasha stated.

"Yes, so that makes three hours, now doesn't it?"

"Why can't Keade do conferences?"

"She really can't do six in one night. I offered to do Takara, Hisa, and Hana's while Keade does mine, Mieko's, and Kiyoshi's."

"Wow," Sango said softly, eating her potato chips.

"Yeah… Oh, I almost forgot! There's another kid moving in next week, I think he's eight? Anyways, he'll be sharing a room with Kiyoshi since Mieko's getting Sean's room. He's the oldest nor and wants to have his privacy, he's always complaining about Kiyoshi, although I think Kiyoshi's nice."

"Rin," Inuyasha stated slowly, "you're the oldest."

"Yeah, shouldn't you be the one taking Sean's room?" Miroku added. Sesshomaru watched Rin closely. She seemed uncomfortable.

"Well technically, yeah, but Hana threw a fit when Keade suggested it." Rin said slowly. "It doesn't really matter; I don't mind sharing." She yawned, "I'm tired."

The conversation shifted, much to Rin's relief, and Sesshomaru watched as Rin lay on her back, resting her head on her arms.

"And Sesshomaru?"

"Yes?"

"Thanks for helping me out in math, I really appreciate it." Sesshomaru just nodded.

"Myouga-sensei can be rather unfair at times."

The rest of the day seemed to fly past for Rin, and she soon found herself on the playground at Hana's school. She spotted Hana on a bench not too far away. Kneeling in front of her she lifted the young girl's face only to find it covered in tears.

"What's wrong Hana-chan?" The girl sniffled and launched herself into Rin's arms.

"Miki called me a baka!" Rin stood and carried to girl outside of the schoolyard.

"Shhh… it's alright Hana. How about we stop at the Candy Shoppe before going to the park?" The younger girl nodded her head before burying it deeper into the crook of Rin's neck.

Rin carried Hana all the way to the candy store and put her on her feet once they were inside of it.

"What do you want, Hana-chan?" The girl smiled.

"Can I have everything!?" Rin laughed.

"No Hana, only one treat, but don't tell Keade or the others. We don't want to get in trouble, ne?" Hana giggled and held up a chocolate bar. "Okay, chocolate it is." Rin paid for it quickly and gave it back to Hana as they walked out the door.

By them time they reached the park Hana's mouth was lined with chocolate, and her hands sticky. Rin giggled and led her to a water fountain where she helped the child was her hands and face.

It was almost six o clock by the time they got home. Rin wandered into the kitchen to find Hana something to eat.

A man was sitting at the table, leaning over something.

"Sean!" Rin flung her arms around his torso. When she let go he turned around and looked her up and down.

"You look great, Rin-chan!" He beamed at her.

"You too! What have you been up to?"

"Oh, the usual: work, girls, school. How've you been, kiddo?" He flashed her a grin.

"Who are you calling kiddo? I'm a junior, and I'm taking senior math!"

"Yeah, it's about time you got moved up. I remember you helping me in my senior year. You were only in seventh grade then, right?" Rin blushed.

"Yeah…" Sean grinned again.

"A twelve-year-old understood the hardest problems the high school offered!" Rin laughed.

"It really wasn't that hard."

"No need to be humble, child." Keade suddenly appeared in the kitchen. "You truly are amazingly smart." Takara looked on from the doorway.

"Admit it Rin, you're a genius." Rin laughed.

"Am not, I suck in History!" she argued.

"Oh wow, one whole subject," Hisa strode into the doorway, sweaty, and still in her basketball uniform. She sat at the table across from Sean. "It's not like that class is gonna get ya anywhere anyways." Rin sighed, knowing she was outnumbered.

"Math just comes easy to me." She sat next to Sean and changed the subject by asking what was for dinner.


End file.
